Trump administration mandates that refugees who are not permanent U.S. residents within a year of their arrival must return to government custody for case reviews and re-screening.
The Trump administration has expanded the authority of Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers to detain lawful refugees awaiting permanent U.S. residency, as part of a new initiative to intensify scrutiny of both illegal and legal immigrants, according to a government memo obtained and reported by CBS News.
The directive, submitted by government lawyers in a federal court on February 18, instructs ICE to detain refugees who entered the U.S. legally but have not obtained permanent residency (green card) one year after their admission.
Senate Judiciary Democrats tweeted – Trump-Noem DHS tells agents to arrest and detain refugees working to obtain green cards, putting tens of thousands of law-abiding refugees at risk.
Refugees are individuals who receive protection in the U.S. after demonstrating they are escaping persecution based on race, religion, nationality, political views, or social group affiliation.
The Trump administration has virtually shut down the U.S. refugee program, making limited exemptions for some groups. The new policy focuses on refugees who have already arrived in the U.S., allowing them to apply for a green card one year after their entry, in accordance with federal law.
Through a new memo, the Trump administration mandates that refugees who are not permanent U.S. residents within a year of their arrival must return to government custody for case reviews and re-screening. The directive comes from acting ICE Director Todd Lyons and U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services Director Joseph Edlow, who oversees the green card process.
The memo states that refugees may return to government custody voluntarily by attending an interview at an immigration office; failure to do so will require ICE to find, arrest, and detain them.
“The Department of Homeland Security must treat the one-year mark as a mandatory re-vetting point for all refugees who have not adjusted to Lawful Permanent Resident status, ensuring either that they are scheduled to ‘return’ to custody for inspection or, if they do not comply, that they be ‘returned’ to custody through enforcement action,” the memo reads.
The memo, further, says refugees who raise red flags during this examination may be stripped of their legal status and processed for deportation.